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11:23 am

Tue March 20, 2012

Seven More Counties Approved for Storm-Recovery Assistance

Seven additional counties are now eligible for reimbursements to county and local governments to assist in storm recovery, Governor Steve Beshear announced Tuesday. The newly approved counties are Ballard, Johnson, Kenton, LaRue, Pendleton, Trimble, and Wolfe.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has now approved 14 counties to receive Public Assistance (PA), which provides reimbursements to county and local governments to repair public infrastructure or to remove storm debris. Deadly storms and tornadoes tore through Kentucky on Feb. 29 and March 2.

On Friday, FEMA approved PA for Grant, Laurel, Lawrence, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee and Morgan counties. As damage assessments continue, more counties may be approved for similar aid.

The PA program helps local governments recover costs incurred in removing disaster-related debris from public rights of way, and for measures taken by state and local emergency responders to protect lives and property before, during and after the disaster. The program also helps defray the cost of repairing roads, public buildings, utilities and other public infrastructure damaged or destroyed as a result of the storms and tornadoes.

This program is separate from the Individual Assistance program (IA), which provides grants to individuals to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs.

Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available to cover residential and businesses losses not fully compensated by insurance.